Milo ( MY-loh; stylised in all caps as MILO) is an Australian chocolate-flavoured malted powder product produced by Nestlé, typically mixed with milk, hot water, or both, to produce a beverage. It was originally developed in Australia by Thomas Mayne (1901–1995) in 1934. Most commonly sold as a powder in a green can, often depicting various sporting activities like badminton or football, Milo is available as a premixed beverage in some countries and has been subsequently developed into a chocolate bar, breakfast cereal, and protein granola. Its composition and taste differ from country to country. Milo maintains significant popularity in a diverse range of countries throughout the world, particularly in Australasia, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
History
In 1934, Australian industrial chemist and inventor Thomas Mayne, who was working at Nestlé, developed "Milo" and launched it at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Mayne came up with his formula for Milo combining malt extract (made from malted barley), full cream milk powder, cocoa, sugar, mineral salts, iron and vitamins A, D and B1, in an attempt "to develop a completely balanced food drink which contained all the necessary proteins and minerals". It was intended to help children to obtain enough nutrients in their diet. Nestlé, which had taken ownership of a milk-processing plant in Smithtown, New South Wales, in 1921, started producing the product not long after the show. The name was derived from the famous ancient Greek athlete Milo of Croton, after his legendary strength. The product was even noted as "tonic food".
Manufacture
Milo is made by evaporating the water content from a thick syrup at reduced pressure, using a vacuum dryer to reduce the mix to granular form. The thick opaque syrup is obtained from malted wheat or barley sourced from companies that produce these raw products. Milo's composition and taste differ in some countries due to logistics limitations and personal preferences among different regions. As of 2021, the Smithtown factory, which produces the product for Australia and New Zealand, produces more than 13,000 tonnes of Milo a year. Nestlé Singapore states that Milo is produced locally at its factory in Jurong. Milo in Japan is manufactured using ingredients imported from Singapore.
Nutritional information The recipe for the standard product has remained almost exactly the same since its creation in 1934, the only variation being in the added minerals and vitamins. Standard Milo consists of four main ingredients: malted barley, milk powder, sugar and cocoa. It contains 1,680 kJ (402 kilocalories) in every 100 g of the powder, mostly from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can be used for energy by the body, which is the basis of Milo being marketed as an energy drink. Most of the carbohydrate content is sugar. The New Zealand version of Milo is 46 percent sugar. Milo dissolved in water has a glycemic index (GI) of 55. However, milk has a much lower GI of 30 to 33, so mixing a very small amount of Milo into a mug of milk yields an overall GI closer to 33, whereas adding a lot of Milo into a mug of milk, yields an overall GI that is closer to 55. Milo is high in calcium, iron and the vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12. Milo is advertised as containing "Actigen-E" which is Nestlé's trademarked name for the vitamins in the Milo recipe. It also contains some theobromine, a xanthine alkaloid similar to caffeine, which is present in the cocoa used in the product. A study conducted in Malaysia by the 'Nutrition Society of Malaysia' suggested that Milo and similar products made children who consumed them "more likely to be physically active and spend less time in front of a computer or television". A 2017 New York Times article found that Nestlé had been financing the society and vetting the articles before publication, leading to questions of scientific impartiality. The high concentration of sugar, and the presence of maltodextrin, also raised whether the product should be marketed as a health product.
Versions Since 2017, Nestle Philippines has produced Milo using its "protomalt" formulation. The protomalt is composed of carbohydrates derived from barley and cassava. In Australia, a version of Milo called Milo B-Smart was released in 2008, which had a finer texture, added B vitamins and iodine, and a different taste from the original Milo formula, and was marketed as a health food for children. However, as of 2021, this product is no longer available. A higher malt content form also existed in Australia and was marketed in brown and maroon coloured cans. Nestlé stopped advertising this higher malt form on their Australian products website sometime between March and April 2015. As of 2021, three other varieties are manufactured at the Australian plant: high protein, reduced sugar and a plant-based version. As of 2021, Nestlé has launched dairy-free plant-based versions of Milo and other drinks under the brand. The new version of these drinks contain almond and soy milk, the two core ingredients – cocoa and malt – remain the same.
Consumption Milo is typically mixed with milk, hot water, or both, to produce a beverage.
Australia and New Zealand Traditionally in Australia and New Zealand, Milo is served mixed with either hot or cold milk, or sprinkled on top.
Latin America Milo is very popular in all Latin American countries, especially in Colombia, where people often think of it as a local product, and it is not only consumed with milk, but also in drinks with fruits, such as bananas and strawberries, even in drinks with oatmeal.
Asia
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